The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-04-15
A ROMANCE OF THE SEA.
la Old Sailor fci. tho Pathetic Story rf his First
and Only Love,

AMI Only Love.
a Darien, Ga, correspondent OF the
Atlanta Constitution writes: Three
;olly countenancod men sat up in the
Fremen's hall the other evening snvel.
opea in an intense cloud OF fragrant
.olle. Their appearance indicate
,int they were sea captains. "Here is
20 aud lang syne." said one, "and
jmay the devil take low freights and
s,everse winds" The toast was drank
enthusiastically Speaking OF auld
lang syne, rejoined another, reminds
me OF an adventure in my life that for
romance and sadness is hard to beat"
The weather,beaten countenance as
'sumed q sad expression, and slight |
tremor becamenotic ticeablein hespeak
srs voice. wwas young then" he con-
tinued, n regular happy go lucky dare
devil, twentyfour years OF age, and in
command OF Us pretty and fast a
craft as ever skinned the Atlantic.
Socsknmmeren (the sea skimmer), OF
Ayendal, Norway. Well, as fate
would have it, an old Norwegian cap
tain invited me aboard OF his vessel,
while lying in Oporto. 1t was here
mot the fairy for the preservation OF
whose life afterward recklessly risked
mlne. 1t is only due to her, though,
to say that if ever human frame were
endowed with heavenly qualities this
young daughter OF typical old sea-
dog could boast of them. l not only
fell desperately in love with this fair
maiden, out became perfectly oblivious
to everything else. When with her l
imagined the very atmosphere was
impregnnted with a hallowed sweet
ness-when away from her the world
seemed dark and dreary. For two
weeks the Sockummeren had been
ready for seq, but despitede ef.
forts to overcome my intatuation ]
could not leave the place where
she still fingered. She held me bound
in fetters, which, though invisible,
were stronger than the stoutest OF
iron, Day after day my conscience
occasionally upbraidsd my weakness,
but only a moment after Rugged the
cham that kept me prisoner. At
last the old craft containing my treas
ure left the harbor. Socskummeren
soon followed suit, and with the i'm.
patience OF O prancing steed she SEEM
ed anxious to pass the vessel loved
SO well to follow, I gave orders to
| shorten sail, and for days managed
the 'socskummerer's speed 80 as to
remain beside her. We had arranged
a code OF signals, and long after the
sun had sunk in the west or before
it had commenced to purple
the eastern sky l stood on the
Socskummeren's deck gazing .,t
her. At last during saually
night, we lost sight OF her. I secured
the ocean in oil directions but fruit
lessly. Three solid weeks had passed
and not q glimpse obtained of the 9TH
er vessel. One day when offthe BAHIA
mas we got into one Of the most vio-
lent northeru had ever experienced.
With all her stanchness and seaworthy
qualities even the eSocskummeren Jared
badly. A storm Of ten hours dura.
tion mad stirred the waters up terri
bly,: The atmosphere was hazy, and
it was impossible to see anyt hing 500
yards distance. Judge, then, OF my
surprise when suddenly q green-paint-
ed hulk, mastless and unnavigable,
appeared on the scene. With one
hand held thespy-glass and with the
other l grasped the rigging. On dis
covering the situation all fears for the
safety of myself, crew and vessel van
ished. On the quarter deck, clingine to
therailing, l saw the one who was dear
erto me than anything on earth, and q
few feet distant, as it seemed, In SUI
preme desperation, stood her aged sill
ver-whiskered father. ! Immediately
gave orders to launch the largest boat,
and four brave-hearted young sailors
generously volunteered to accompany
me on my dangerous mission. 4 few
minutes alter and we could only see
the Socskummeren when simultane
ously on the crest OF some giganti,
waves. BY dint OF a superhuman
deterpin:.ttiion to save her fife l sue
teeded in getting her from the wreck into
, my boat, How, but indistinctly re
member. recollect, however, that
when n huge wave dashed our frail boat
against the Socskurnmeren managed
with her on one arm, to grasp the rig
ging and remain on board while tn,
poor sailors found q watery grave
: When she was sale on tn,
Socskummeren her first query was
, "Where is my father?" While gain,
around vacantly her eyes caught th'
green painted storm tossed wreck ant
, her aged father still clinging to it. /
scream as loud as q storm bird g cam
from her; she freed herself from m,
grasp and plunged overheard, In
moment Ihad q line around my wais
and plunged after her. was hauled
, aboard again, bruised, battered. ant
,, insensible. The ocean holds my frs
and only love-"